This information is supplied by viva (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals)
Protein :
http://www.ivu.org/faq/protein.html
As long as you are eating a variety of plant foods in sufficient quantity to maintain your weight, your body gets plenty of protein.
Protein is needed for growth, repair of tissue and protection against infection. Protein is made up of small ‘building blocks’ called amino acids. Vegetable-based foods contain all the amino acids the body needs. By eating a range of whole, plant-based foods you will get all the different amino acids you need – and in the right proportions. Especially good sources of high quality protein include soya products (eg tofu, soya milk, veggie mince), cereals (eg rice, pasta, wholemeal bread), pulses (eg baked beans, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans), nuts and seeds.
Meat contains all the amino acids that comprise protein, but that doesn't mean it is better for us than plant protein. Animal protein is linked to cancers, heart disease and many other diseases. Also, eating large amounts of animal products, even lean-looking meats, means eating saturated animal fats and cholesterol. It is these artery-clogging substances which are a main cause of heart disease, kidney failure and stroke as well as many cancers. Meat also contains little carbohydrate, no fibre or calcium, and few vitamins – but frequently contains dangerous microbes such as Salmonella and E. coli. The problem of food-borne infections – including the lethal mad cow disease (in humans known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) – is a growing one. In view of all this, it is a comfort to know that a well-balanced vegan diet supplies all the protein you need, whether you are a growing child or a mature adult.
How much protein do we need?
Not as much as we think – recommended amounts have more than halved in the past 20 years as several chronic diseases have been linked to eating too much animal (not plant) protein. The average adult needs to consume between 45 and 55.5 grams of protein per day.
To give you a comparison between some meat and vegetarian products, a standard 50g beef burger contains 10.2g of protein and three (90g) fish sticks 12.l g; half a can of 225g baked beans contains 11.5g of protein; an average serving of pasta (190g cooked) contains 8.5g, an average serving of kidney beans (160g cooked) 12.4g, and a small packet (25g) of peanuts contains 6.1g.
Soya is a good example and is nutritionally equivalent to meat as it contains all eight essential amino acids. It comes in the form of soya milk, tofu (bean curd), burgers, sausages, mince and other meat substitutes. Going vegan is one of the healthiest moves you can make.
Calcium:
http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/factsheets/calciumfactsheet.html
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/calcium.html
There are many plant-based sources of calcium. Good sources include dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spring greens, cabbage, bok choy, parsley and watercress. Also rich in calcium are dried fruits, such as figs, dates, nuts, particularly almonds and brazil nuts, and seeds including sesame seeds and tahini (sesame seed paste) which contains a massive 680 milligrams of calcium per 100 grams.Pulses including soya beans, kidney beans, chick peas, baked beans, broad beans, lentils, peas and calcium-set tofu (soya bean curd) provide a good source of calcium. Other fruit and vegetable sources include parsnips, swede, turnips, lemons, oranges, olives and molasses. A good additional source is calcium-enriched soya milk. The calcium in dairy products is not as well absorbed as that in many dark green leafy vegetables. For example, calcium absorbability from kale is considerably higher than that from cow’s milk . While spinach contains a relatively high amount of calcium, it is bound to a substance called oxalate which hinders calcium absorption so it is important to obtain calcium from low-oxalate green vegetables. Caffeine and smoking have been shown to reduce calcium absorption.
B12 :
http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/factsheets/b12factsheet.html
B12 can be obtained from many everyday food items that are fortified such as veggie burger and sausage mixes, yeast extracts, vegetables stocks, margarines, breakfast cereals and soya milks.
Iron :
http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/factsheets/iron.html
Rich plant sources of iron include legumes (peas, beans and lentils), soya bean curd (tofu), nuts, seeds, wholegrains and dried fruits. Many breakfast cereals are fortified with iron.
Omega 3 Oils :
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/omega3.html
Plants can provide all the healthy types of polyunsaturated fat that we need. Rich sources of essential fatty acids – also known as omega-3 and omega-6 fats – include seeds, nuts, legumes – including the oils made from them – and green, leafy vegetables. Omega-6 fats are widely distributed in plant and manufactured foods and most people get more than enough. Omega-3 fats aren’t so common but there are ample plant sources that are exceptionally rich in them. These include linseeds (flax), rapeseed oil and walnuts.
Vegetarian Nutrition:
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/protein.html
http://www.viva.org.uk/guides/nutritioninanutshell.htm
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/vegan-nutrition.html
Vegetarian Starter Kit:
http://www.peta.org.uk/feat/UKvegkit/
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/
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